1. The Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to a technique, including both methods and apparatus, for positively wiring machines, such as washing machines, dishwashers, television sets, etc., in such a manner as to provide verified locked-in mating of all contacts, connectors and components, and in particular to methods and apparatus which will assure correct assembly of the wiring interconnections of an electrical apparatus at all stages of the assembly.
2. The Prior Art
The established practice of assembling electrical devices, such as washing machines, dishwashers, TV sets, and the like, have followed a traditional assembly method which is quite inappropriate for full automated assembly and which is frequently open to human error during assembly. Amongst the human error problems that are frequently encountered in production lines are miswired components, terminals not securely attached to conductors, lack of full engagement of push-on connecting portions, harnesses routed incorrectly, intermixing of control and power circuitry, and improper connection of mating portions. Some of these problems have been reduced by color coding, keying, and polarizing the component subassemblies so that only one reasonable assembly pattern would be possible. This does not, however, allow for instances when inattentive or non-skilled personnel employed in the assembly line partially assemble or forcibly misassemble subcomponents, subassemblies, and mismatch them to the final assembly.
A problem also exists with most known connectors in that there is presently no convenient way to verify whether or not contacts, especially push-on type contacts, have actually been fully mated. Thus there is the possibility of subsequent handling of the apparatus will cause the disconnection of the portions of the electrical wiring by simple vibration.
The second point raised above is the fact that most of the electrical apparatus of the above-mentioned type are currently assembled in such a manner that it would not be feasible to fully automate the production line. Some of the reasons why the production lines cannot be automated is that many machines are designed to require snaking of cables and/or harnesses throughout various portions of the machine. This frequently is an undesirable, as well as an unnecessary, exercise which makes automation of the production line substantially impossible.